National Urban League Convenes Leading Civil Rights, Economic Justice, and Policy Organizations to Launch Fair Budget Coalition

Coalition Advocates for a Fair, Just, and Inclusive Federal Budget that Reflects the Needs of All  Americans

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 10, 2025) — The National Urban League today launched the Fair Budget Coalition, a new alliance of civil rights leaders, economic justice advocates, and policy experts demanding a responsible federal budget that centers fairness, opportunity, and economic security for all Americans— including people and communities long overlooked and under-resourced.

As Congress prepares for Fiscal Year 2026 budget negotiations and debates on tax policy and spending, the Fair Budget Coalition is calling on lawmakers to protect and prioritize programs that uplift families, promote mobility, and advance racial and economic justice.

The coalition is guided by four core principles:

1.      Fair & Inclusive Revenue Policy – Ensuring that the wealthy and large corporations contribute their fair share to sustain essential public investments and expand opportunity. 

2.      Investing in Economic Mobility and Strengthening the Social Safety Net – Fully funding and protecting essential programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and Social Security that serve as lifelines for working families. 

3.      Smart & Sustainable Public Investments – Securing critical funding for housing, education, infrastructure, and more, while safeguarding local-federal partnerships and ensuring equitable implementation. 

4.      Protecting Civil Rights & Equal Opportunity – Defending civil rights enforcement, voting rights, and census accuracy to ensure fair representation and access to economic opportunity.

“Budgets are moral documents—they reflect what we value as a nation,” National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said. “The launch of the Fair Budget Coalition sends a clear message to Congress: we will not accept a federal budget that ignores the needs of working families, communities of color, and the most vulnerable among us. It’s time for lawmakers to make bold, equitable investments that create real opportunity and uphold the promise of economic justice for all.”

To kick off its advocacy efforts, the coalition sent a letter to Congressional leadership outlining its vision for a just and inclusive federal budget. The coalition also has requested meetings with key lawmakers. To further aid the coalition’s work, the National Urban League has initiated a grassroots campaign to mobilize local leaders and community voices in support of a fair budget that reflects the nation’s core values.

Members of the coalition include the National Urban League, UnidosUS, NAACP, National Action Network, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, National Council of Negro Women, PolicyLink, and the Coalition on Human Needs.